Titan: October 2020

We report the first detection on Titan of the small cyclic molecule cyclopropenylidene (c-C₃H₂) from high sensitivity spectroscopic observations made with the Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array (ALMA).

Titan harbors a dense, organic-rich atmosphere primarily composed of N₂ and CH₄ , with lesser amounts of hydrocarbons and nitrogen-bearing species.

Catherine Neish is counting the days until her space launch. While the Western planetary geologist isn't space-suiting up for her own interstellar voyage, she is playing a key role in an international mission - dispatching a robotic drone to Saturn's moon Titan - set to blast-off in 2027.